Joseph Smith Birth Memorial

The Obelisk in May 2009

The Joseph Smith Birth Memorial is a granite obelisk that looms over the White River valley near Sharon , Vermont . It marks the place where Joseph Smith , founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), was born on December 23, 1805. The Mormons had the monument built and manage the site as a historical and tourist attraction.

history

In 1884 , one of the Church leaders at the time , Junius F. Wells visited the birthplace of Joseph Smith and devised a plan to erect a memorial there. Under the direction of President of the Church, Joseph F. Smith , Wells oversaw the construction of the memorial and a cottage in 1905. The Nativity Memorial was dedicated on December 23, 1905, the 100th birthday of Joseph Smith, by his successor, Joseph F. Smith .

Wells reported in 1907 that by that time seven to eight thousand people had visited the memorial annually.

description

The text on the shaft of the obelisk

The monument is 50 feet (15 meters) high and weighs 91 tons. The shaft of the obelisk is 36 tons and 38.5 feet (11.7 meters) long, one foot for each year in the life of Joseph Smith. The obelisk is made of granite that was quarried near the village of Barre . It has been described as a "masterpiece of engineering" and as one of the "largest polished shafts in the world".

There is a visitor center and a community hall on the property, admission is free.

literature

English

• Gerry Avant, "memorializing prophet who was born here" , Deseret News , December 31, 2005, p Z08.
• Keith A. Erekson, "The Joseph Smith Memorial Monument and Royalton's 'Mormon Affair': Religion, Community, Memory, and Politics in Progressive Vermont" , Vermont History 73 : 117-151 (2005).
• Susa Young Gates , "Memorial Monument Dedication," Improvement Era , Feb. 1906.
• George Albert Smith , "The duty of sustaining home industries, and home institutions — Incidents of the journey to Vermont and return — Remarkable interest and kindness manifest to President Smith and party — Providential help in overcoming obstacles in erection of monument — The finished structure a credit to the Church, and to Junius F. Wells " Conference Report , April 1906.
• Adam Sullivan: "Vermont's connection to the Mormon Church" . WCAX TV . December 4, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
• Summer Travel Series: Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial . In: News Release . Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . June 1, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2012.

German

• Would you have known? of The Liahona of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• CENTURY MEMORIALS of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism
• WELLS, JUNIUS F. The Encyclopedia of Mormonism

Web links

Commons : Joseph Smith Birth Memorial  - Collection of Images, Videos, and Audio Files

• Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial : Official Website

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The monument itself is exactly within the Royalton border . However, the bottom of the house in which Joseph Smith was born is just over the line in Sharon .
2. ^ Susa Young Gates , "Memorial Monument Dedication," Improvement Era , February 1906.
3. ↑ ^{a b} Junius F. Wells : The Prophet's Birthplace . Pp. 133-37. December 1907. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
4. ↑ Show as: Keith A. Erekson, "The Joseph Smith Memorial Monument and Royalton's 'Mormon Affair': Religion, Community, Memory, and Politics in Vermont Progressive" , Vermont History 73 : 117-51 (2005) page 118th
5. ↑ See, for example, Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial , lds.org ( Latter-day Saint Church of Jesus Christ ).